What they're talking about in the days leading up to the Summer Olympics ...

July 14, 2012 - 8:22 PM

SAUDI WOMEN TO COMPETE

"A big inspiration for participating in the Olympic Games is being one of the first women for Saudi Arabia to be going. It's such a huge honor and I hope that it can really make some big strides for women over there to get more involved in sport."

Sarah Attar, 17, who will be one of two female athletes competing for Saudi Arabia. The 800-meter runner trains out of San Diego. At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, 26 teams had no women. Sixteen years later, every team in London will have at least one.

SWIMMING DISTRACTION

"I think the things he could have done if he'd worked as hard as I do would have been even more incredible than what he has pulled off."

Tyler Clary, right, questioning the work ethic of swimming teammate Michael Phelps. Clary, a first-time Olympian, said Thursday he regretted creating a distraction and should have kept his comments focused on himself. He said he spoke to Phelps and there are no hard feelings.

CARRYING THE TORCH

"The sun's out, the sun's rising, clear skies today, running with the torch which is incredible anyway, but running with it around Stonehenge was an incredible moment."

American track star Michael Johnson, who brought the Olympic flame to Stonehenge on Thursday.

SECURITY

"Concerns have arisen about the ability of G4S to deliver the required number of guards for all Olympics venues. We have now agreed that it would be prudent to deploy additional military support."

British home secretary Theresa May, who confirmed that the government will deploy an additional 3,500 troops at the Olympics. That's because of concerns that the firm G4S -- which had been contracted to provide the bulk of the 13,200 private security guards protecting 100 Olympic venues -- might not hit its target because of problems recruiting and training staff.

LONDON WEATHER

"Goodness, our visitors aren't sugar; they're not going to dissolve if there's a bit of rain. They'll still have a great time."

Patricia Yates of VisitBritain, answering a question about poor London weather. Both April and June were the wettest such months in more than a century, since records started being kept. Last month was the coolest June in 21 years, with an average temperature of about 54 degrees.

OLYMPIC UNIFORMS

"I am so upset. I think the Olympic committee should be ashamed of themselves. I think they should be embarrassed. I think they should take all the uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them and start all over again."

U.S. MEN'S BASKETBALL SUB

"Whatever Coach K wants me to do I am going to do. I am going to look forward to the challenges, and I'm looking forward to going overseas and my first time out of the United States."

Anthony Davis, added to the U.S. men's basketball team after Blake Griffin had to withdraw because of torn knee cartilage. Davis will become the third player to suit up for the U.S. in the Olympics without playing in the pros since NBA players were first used in 1992, joining Christian Laettner in '92 and Emeka Okafor in 2004.